Conventional fishing rods have external guides through which a line passes from an attached reel. Fishing rods with conventional external guides are subject to problems such as breakage or damage of the guides during use and transport, and entanglement of the fish hook and line during use.
Fishing rods in which the line passes internally through a hollow shaft have been proposed in an attempt to overcome the problems associated with conventional external guides. Many of the prior proposals related to fishing rods with the line guided internally have focused on minimizing contact, the cause of friction and wear, between the line and the internal surface of the hollow shaft by the use of internal guides. These internal guides may interfere with the sensitivity of a fishing rod, and may be difficult or impossible to repair if they break or become displaced.
A major problem with fishing rods, of the type in which the line is guided internally, is the problem caused by wetness, or water associated with the line or shaft. The friction and/or drag caused by a wet line reduces the possible casting distance and sensitivity of the rod. This problem is particularly severe for fly casting where a relatively large diameter line is used. For spin and other casting rods, the problem caused by wetness may not be immediately apparent, but becomes so after extended usage. Furthermore, it appears that the friction caused by a wet line would result in wear of the internal surface of the shaft.